Blogger: Kerry Davis, Project Officer
“So what do you do?” I was asked the other day; “I’m a Project Officer with the RSPB.” “What’s one of them then?” is the normal response. I thought about this on the drive back from Lincoln last Sunday night. I had spent the weekend at Lincoln Cathedral manning the Lincoln Peregrines Date with Nature viewpoint, one of my roles as Project Officer.
Saturday was quite an uneventful type of day when suddenly a gentleman came running to the viewpoint, quite breathless, “there is a peregrine in the cathedral garden and it’s being mobbed by crows and distressed.....” Two of us went to investigate to find a juvenile peregrine sat on a wall looking rather pleased with itself and most definitely not in distress.
This is the first time I had encountered a peregrine at such close quarters and was awestruck by the sheer beauty and size of the creature. That evening I went to bed feeling very honoured to have seen one so close.
Sunday, by 9.30am I had received three telephone calls informing me there was a peregrine on a wall by the Cathedral – this little lady, later to be christened Bailey due to her fondness of being photographed, sat happily all day on top of a wall just above the heads of the passing public.
Number two was located up a tree, above the traffic and at eye level to the open topped tour bus, which was now making an unplanned stop. Number three sat on a ledge low down on the cathedral and number four, the sensible one, stayed on the tower all day being fed by the adults.
During the day we were able to watch breathless members of the public rushing to tell us there was a peregrine in a tree or on a wall and then enthusing and showing us their photographs. It was rewarding to share this and watch their faces as they told of their encounter.
The day was rounded off by Bailey crash landing outside the Cathedral refectory and joining a group of ladies for afternoon tea.
Not bad for a day job really.
So this weekend come and see the urban side of the RSPB in Lincoln, time is ticking we will only be there until 28 July. Come and say hello, you never know what might turn up.